A top Queensland violinist and his two stepsons have been killed in a car crash while holidaying in New Zealand.
Stephen Phillips, 54 and his two stepsons, aged 12 and 14 died when their rental car collided with a truck at Huntly yesterday afternoon.
According to the Brisbane Times, the family were in New Zealand to visit relatives for the holidays.
The boys’ mother Belinda Williams and her daughter Tessa were also in the car when it crashed, but survived. They remain in hospital.
The family had arrived in New Zealand that morning and were planning to spend two weeks visiting Ms Williams’ family, according to their neighbour, Billy Azad, who was house-sitting for them.
"Stephen was a good gentleman, he was good at repairing pianos, a handyman kind of guy," Mr Azad told the Brisbane Times.
"Belinda was a great lady, she would drop other kids on the street to the bus stop."
Mr Phillips was first violinist with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra and Ms Williams played viola casually with the orchestra.
"The thoughts, prayers and love from everyone at the Queensland Symphony Orchestra are today with the family of our much loved First Violinist Stephen Phillips and his partner Belinda Williams, who often played Viola with the QSO," the orchestra’s chairman Greg Wanchap said.
"Stephen had been a member of the QSO since 1987 and Belinda has played with the QSO since 2002."